COMMUNITIES in Fiji’s Central Division have been warned to stay alert for possible floods caused by rain from a trough of low pressure over the Fiji Group.

Resident along the Waimanu River which winds through lower Naitasiri Province have been told to be watchful over the next 24-48 hours.

At 11am the water level at Waimanu Station was 3.15metres – 0.85m below alert level – and falling.

Also warned are communities downstream of the Waimanu which includes the riverside town of Nausori, the delta province of Rewa and portions of Tailevu South.

Fiji’s National Weather Forecasting Centre has issued a heavy rain warning for most of the country.

A trough of low pressure with associated cloud and rain moving over the north of Fiji is expected to intensify later today.

Meanwhile the whole country can expect occasional rain, thunderstorms and localised heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding.

SPECIAL WEATHR BULLETIN NUMBER TWENTY ONE FOR FIJI ON HEAVY RAIN ISSUED FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER FORECASTING CENTRE, NADI AT 12:00PM ON THURSDAY 29TH MARCH 2018.

A HEAVY RAIN WARNING REMAINS IN FORCE FOR VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS, NORTHERN LAU GROUP, LOMAIVITI GROUP, VITI LEVU, YASAWA AND MAMANUCA GROUP. A HEAVY RAIN ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR THE REST OF FIJI. A FLOOD ALERT REMAINS IN FORCE FOR LOW LYING AREAS, DOWNSTREAM AND ADJACENT TO WAIMANU RIVER. SITUATION:A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH ASSOCIATED CLOUD AND RAIN REMAIN SLOW MOVING OVER THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE GROUP. IT IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY ANDAFFECTS MOST PARTS OF THE GROUP FROM LATER TODAY. FOR VANUA LEVU, TAVEUNI AND NEARBY SMALLER ISLANDS, NORTHERN LAU GROUP, LOMAIVITI GROUP, EASTERN HALF OF VITI LEVU AND YASAWA AND MAMANUCA GROUP:PERIODS OF RAIN, HEAVY AT TIMES AND SQUALLY THUNDERSTORMS. LOCALISED HEAVY FALLS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS. FOR THE REST OF VITI LEVU:OCCASIONAL SHOWERS, HEAVY AT TIMES AND FEW THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWERS INCREASING TO RAIN AND BECOMING FREQUENT AND HEAVY FROM TONIGHT.LOCALISED HEAVY FALLS MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS. FOR THE REST OF FIJI:OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND FEW THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWERS INCREASING TO RAIN WITH ISOLATED HEAVY FALLS FROM LATER TOMORROW. THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN WILL BE ISSUED ISSUED AROUND 03:00 PM TODAY OR EARLIER.

Special Weather Bulletin Number FIVE FOR FLOOD ISSUED FROM LAUCALA MET OFFICE AT 11.50AM on THURSDAY THE 29TH OF MARCH,2018.

FLOOD ALERT

A FLOOD ALERT REMAIN INFORCE FOR ALL LOW LYING AREAS,SMALL STREAMS AND AREAS ADJACENT TO WAIMANU AND NAQALI STATIONS.

LEVEL AT WAIMANU STATION WAS 3.15M AT 11.00AM WHICH IS O.85M BELOW ALERT LEVEL AND DECREASING.

SITUATION:

A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE WITH ASSOCIATED CLOUD AND RAIN REMAIN SLOW MOVING OVER THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE GROUP. IT IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY AND

AFFECTS MOST PARTS OF THE GROUP FROM MIDDAY TODAY.

TIDE HEIGHT TIME

HIGH 2.96M 04.53PM

LOW 0.41M 11.17PM

THE NEXT SPECIAL WEATHER BULLETIN FOR FLOOD WILL BE ISSUED AT 2.50PM TODAY OR EARLIER.